Direct Butt

Wardster · August 2002

A friend of mine, who recently bought his first egg, can't wait to do a butt, so he's going after it tonight. He does not have fire bricks or a plate setter.
I told him to put it in a v rack and place a drip pan filled with water underneath. Refill the drip pan every 2 hrs or so.
Any other suggestions to help him pull this off? I have never gone direct with one.
Thanks

Nature Boy · August 2002

Howdy Wardster,
If he uses a drip pan and a v-rack, he is cooking indirect. Your plan would work fine....I would not bother refilling the drip pan though...and water is optional. Best to leave the cooker closed instead of opening every couple hours to refill. 225-250 dome, and let 'er roll.[p]The cook could also be pulled off direct if he doesn't have a drip pan/v-rack, but I would keep dome between 200 and 225 if going direct. [p]Beers!
Chris

Wardster · August 2002

Nature Boy,
Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm used to it. Yes, a drip pan is indirect, but will it actually achieve the same success as using a platesetter or fire bricks? I'm assuming much more heat will run up and through the drip pan than the others, which is why I suggested keeping it full.
Am I oversimplifying things?

hounddog · August 2002

Your assumption that a drip pan does not do as effective a job at spreading the heat as a pizza stone on a plate sitter is correct. Having said that, I agree that the drip pan still makes it indirect, thus giving you more room for error than with direct. A successful cook with a drip pan will be indistinguishable from one with a plate sitter. There are degrees of indirect. The more indirect, the more room for error.

Tim M · August 2002

Wardster,[p]Actually, the ceramic mass is added to allow higher cooking temps to be used without burning. You could do a butt for 20 hrs at 225° over a drip pan or at 275° over a plate setter for 16 hrs (times are just for illustration only). [p]Tim

Spin · August 2002

Wardster,[p]A ceramic mass of any sort would provide a better insulator between the fire and the meal. Using water as a heat shield is problematic, particularly with a low and slow cook. The water represents a heat load on the fire, resulting in the temperature rising as the water slowly heats up and evaporates (the heat load diminishes). Adding water to replenish the loss increases the heat loading, dropping the temperature. Each time the dome is opened, the heat (and moisture) is lost, adding time to the cook.[p]A nice compromise is to do the cook dome closed, using a glass (pyrex) baking pan as the drip pan. Glass is a much better insulator than metal. Cover it well (inside and out) with foil to make cleanup easy.[p]Spin

WooDoggies · August 2002

Wardster,

Yes, a drip pan will achieve the same success as firebricks or platesetter for a low and slow cook. [p]As long as you don't let the temps run away from you and keep it in the target range (just as you would with bricks or a platesetter) there is very little chance to ruin the butt.[p]The drip pan, like the firebricks, is only going to get as hot as the air sorrounding it. The drip pan, unlike the firebricks, will not add any thermal mass to the cooker but just do the job of deflecting heat. I have found that without the added ceramic mass the cooker is easier to heat up and cool down and temp control is more responsive.
Hope this helps.... I do all of my low and slows with just a drip pan underneath the meat.[p]Have a great holiday weekend.... and don't forget the beers![p]WD

Spin · August 2002

hounddog,[p]Very well stated.[p]Spin

Direct Butt

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